The Color of Water

• Genre: Nonfiction; Memoir; Biography
• Originally Published: 1996
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1140L; Grades 9-12; College/Adult
• Structure/Length: Approximate 295 pages; approximately 8 hours, 46 minutes on audiobook
• Central Concern: The Color of Water is a moving dual memoir of James McBride and his white, Jewish mother, Ruth. The narrative alternates between the two voices, delving into Ruth’s past, her marriage to a Black man in the 1940s, and her experience raising 12 children in a racist America. The memoir is also McBride’s journey to understanding his own identity, intertwined with his mother’s mysterious and resilient past.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Discussions of racism, antisemitism, poverty, identity crisis, and societal discrimination

James McBride, Author

• Bio: Born 1957; American writer and musician; accomplished saxophonist; has explored themes of identity, family, and cultural history across various mediums; celebrated for his candid and heartfelt storytelling.
• Other Works: Song Yet Sung (2008); The Good Lord Bird (2013); Deacon King Kong (2020)
• Awards: Winner of the 1997 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Literary Excellence; named an ALA Notable Book of the Year

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Growing Up With a Diverse Racial Background in America
• The Layered Nature of Privilege
• The Inescapable Legacy of One’s Cultural Heritage

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will: